Race Across The World 2026

[LindorDoubleChoc]

Hooray!

This is back for another series, starting Thursday.

I just googled very quickly and they set off from Sicily and end the race in northern Mongolia - sounds interesting.

I don't know anything else about it at this point, but thought that we should have a thread ready and waiting.

Me too - I’d have loved to have joined her! I would love it if they swapped partners for one leg as I think she & Molly would have a blast & Mark & the dad would get on brilliantly too, so would like to see those dynamics play out to see the different sides of people!

Not to bring the teacher debate back up again but Molly’s dad is just like my own - he’s not a teacher but is also from Northern Ireland & it’s very typical of NI men of a certain age to act like that.

It’s in BBC iPlayer & it’s done in Podcast format (like The Traitors spin off). It was due to be hosted by Scott Mills & Alfie from a few years ago, but now is hosted by Tyler West & Alfie. It’s not the best but it’s ok!

I had to go to the iplayer and search ‘The Detour’ and the spin off programme comes up. I always watch it straight after the main show as it gives a clip of next week’s episode.

I suspect its an NI thing. I'm not from there but remember some young people being interviewed about their voting intentions before the General Election and they all said 'I vote the way my Daddy tells me'. Incomprehensible to me.

I'm from Northern Ireland and no way would I have voted like 'my daddy'.

Bizarre take.

Ok. Glad to hear it.

A lot of the buses are overnight ones too so they could get really lucky and leave with enough time to catch an overnighter.

Not heard of the detour. Need to investigate that.

We think they mario cart the race a bit. So the people at the front are encouraged to take the longer route and the people at the back of the pack can cut through the middle without stopping for work etc. That way there's never an uncontrollable gap between contestants. Still enjoy it though. Is anyone watching The Amazing Race aus on channel 4 too?

Margo popped up in my Facebook feed. She’s posting lots and talking to everyone.

I was thinking that there was so much talk on there and here about her going out and doing the wine tasting and enjoying the area on her own. It’s telling that a woman going out and enjoying herself on her own is still notable.

Its all in the editing. At the end of the day, its a reality tv show.

There was another (pretty odd) programme on last year about people on a bus who had to guess where they were. Although many didn't like it, I enjoyed it.

I was looking forward to that programme - the one with Rob Brydon? - but felt we saw loads of inside the bus and not very much of outside!

I’m all caught up. I really like this series. I think last series it wasn’t just the sobs stories but it literally felt like they were on a bus all the time. I like to see more of where they are and what they are eating etc. There was such a huge difference between the people/culture of west and east Türkiye - it was like visiting several countries already. And were they giving out vanilla cakes for free on the bus when Harrison said he loves a Turkish bus?
Can’t wait for the next episode and I absolutely agree with the poster who said with all the footage they get they can probably make two episodes a leg.

I felt the bullying of the woman who won by the two runners up all along the trip was deeply unpleasant.

Even Rob mentioned how on her own she'd been.

However it was worth it to see their faces when they realised she had beaten them.

Yes. It was more like a psychology prog than a travel prog. Quite an odd prog.

Oh, Jessica I think?! God I was rooting for her(am pretty sure she's autistic), and doesn't it go to show how counterproductive all that scheming and backstabbing can be sometimes?! 😆

I quite liked Destination X with Rob Bryson. But yes there were some deeply unpleasant contestants

Is The Amazing Race similar?

Instead of paying for a hotel surely there were cabs available that would’ve got them so far towards their target?

Judith. I was rooting for her too, so glad she won. Not sure I'd watch it again though, it's not very satisfying from a travel show point of view.

Judith, that's it! I was delighted she won!

And also that the pair of runners up lost.

i loved Judith. She was great. The runners up not so much.

Was Mark hungover do we think?

I like them all although the dad drones on a bit and would drive me insane.

I got tj impression that Mark didn't drink ...

and that was why Margo went out on her own for a while to have fun and a little drinkie poos ! 🤣

I was so team Margo !

I'd be very surprised if Mark was drunk